1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method and apparatus for visual browsing that allows users to browse products (e.g. goods and services) over a computer network, such as the Internet.
2. Description of Related Art
The Internet today has become the gateway for connected users to access a plethora of information and interactive services. In particular, the Internet provides users with a medium for ordering various products (e.g. goods and services) that can later be delivered by conventional transport means. For example, a user at a user terminal (e.g. a computer at home or work) can connect through an Internet Access Provider (IAP) to the Internet and access one of a multitude Internet Service Providers (ISP) that provide various products (e.g. goods and services) that the user can view and purchase from the ISP. Typically, the ISP has various computer-based resources to host what is now commonly called an “ecommerce web site” which appealing presents graphical representations of goods and services. The user views these graphical representations of goods and services via their Internet browser on their personal computer and can select and purchase the displayed goods and services from the ISP.
Currently, most ecommerce virtual shopping experiences rely on users explicitly knowing what they are looking for and describing it in verbal ways (i.e. an explicit method). For example, most virtual shopping through today's ecommerce web sites requires a user to search for products by inputting verbal terms, drilling down through a multitude of different categories, or selecting various product attributes stored in a database to finally find a desired product.
On the other hand, most shopping in the real world occurs much less explicitly. For example, a shopper enters a store and navigates generally towards merchandise that the shopper is interested in. As the shopper makes his or her way towards the desired item, the shopper sees a selection of other products along the way, as well as, at the shopper's destination. Alternatively, a shopper may pick up an item, approach a salesperson, and ask the salesperson if the store has anything else similar to the item. These non-explicit methods provide significant advantages to both the merchant and the shopper by increasing the shopper's exposure to available products and providing opportunities for serendipitous impulse buying.